Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-23
WHOLE NUMBER, IL

6VaA VIZ Ah6 eVah0f
A Form CT "Baby-Tarming" Ia Exist
enee Here Street Cleaning
shoskoe Creek, As., &C.
The Board of Health have made their
annual report to the Mayor. Much OF
the statistical information they give
was anticipated in our first .of-January
No.
The Board renew the recommenda-
ton Of their predecessors, that physi-
clans, midwives, and heads of families
be made to report the births OF all in
fants coming under their charge.
The number OF marriages for the
year was GA number of deaths was
], 1,787-rate Of mortality. 1877.
"Tbe estimate upon which this cal
culation is based is 100, 900 whole popu-
lation, So, 900 white and A, 900 colored.
There is great cause for thankfulness in
the fact that we have lost fewer of our
citizens during the last year than for
five years past, when our population
has increased rapidly during that time.
There have been no plaques, such as
cholera and smallpox, and not single
case Of measels has been reported.
"Ihe mortality among infants under
one year Of age has been 169 whites and
256 colored, total 425-as against AL
for 1885, nearly one fifth Of the whole
number of whites and between one
third and one fourth of the colored, or
nearly one fourth of the whole amount
of mortality. The deficiency of ven
tilation III our houses, by which the
gases ore retained and the pure air ex-
cluded, want of an equable degree of
temperature, q diminution OF light, I'M
due exposure, raising children on arti-
fetal nOurishment as experiments, are
some of the causes that have tended
to this result, as also the inhuman
practice of carrying on baby
farms by the ignorant and de-
praved, who for a weekly stipend
will receive a child from its mother to
keep or to be made away with by the
slow tOrtures of hunger and neglect,
exposure producing groups and diph-
iberia, and owing to the effects of un-
wholesome food falling an easy prey to
the diarrhnal complaints of summer, or
if escaping these, perishing through
neglect 10y inanition or atrOphy or by
causes not specified or i1-defned.
A PROBLEM.
sin some places in this city the sani-
tary officers OF this department reported
fifteen births in one house without
mothers, inducing the idea of singu-
lar elimination of the prolific germ
theory by incubation. The wisdom of
Omniscience only can solve the prob
blem How many remained at the
end of the year?' 1t is pity such
things are true, and it is shame to our
CITY that they are tolerated. We should
either establish a foundling hospital
end compel parties to give up all such
children or require bond with security
for the faithful discharge of duty to
these little innocents. We would re-
spectfully suggest the passage of suit
able ordinance to meet these ends.
1--WE are pleased to see that other
cities have moved in this matter, and
some months since the attention of
the Council was called to the fact that
number of births in one house were
represented to be colored when all of
the inmates of that house were white.
Suitable restrictions ought to be thrown
around this ordinance to prevent in
fanticide primarily or secondarily."
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.
A general hospital is spoken of as a
necessity, and the Board recommend
that the city make some arrangement
with the authorities of the Medical
College to that end.
They insist that more care should be
taken in constructing and ventilating
factorieswherel large numbers of working
people are employed (; also, that there
should be fewer hours of labor. Espe-
cially do they think these reforms desi-
rable for the women and children.
STRENGTHENING
"During the past year this depart
ment has at times labOred under dlili-
culties in this direction that it was i'm
possible to surmount. The head ofthe de-
partment, held responsible not only for
the sweeping and removal of the dust
and dirt, but also for the manner in
which the work is done and the incon-
yenience and even discomfort suffered
bv some of our citizens has at times
been powerless to correct the evils con
stantly complained Of 1t has been de
| cided that his duties are simply ad-
visory and supervising, whilst the ex-
ecutiye duties of his department in con-
nection with the street cleaning have
been placed in the hands of the sani-
tary officers detailed by the Chief of
Police. Chapter 81, section II, states :;
The said inspectors shall from the
time of their detail be under the con
troll of the Board of Health and receive
instructions from said Board and per-
form such service as said Board may re-
auire to carry out the health ordinances
OF the city ,
"While the president of the Board OF
Health has bowed with becoming de-
| ference 10 the decision gwen, anu oiiioo
its rendition assumed no authority In
this respect, desiring no conflict OF au-
thority, he cannot but feel that 1t has
been TO the detriment of the city.
There have been numberless com
plaints about the careless manner
in which the men in this de-
partment have worked and about
the little care exercised as to
sprinkling before the sweepers, fire.
anently causing clouds of dust to arise,
TO the great inconvenience, discomfort,
and danger to the health of the citizens
along the different routes (as it is Inn
possible to know with what germs this
dust may be laden. =,
"Some days, in short time, he would
have a half.dozen complaints made,
some from the Chief of Police. Ere
| orentlv communication with the sani-